Run the Gauntlet
by CAVALRYMAN1776
Summary: The Payroll for the entire Division is waiting to be picked up, so Gen Alexander send Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch to do the job of getting it, but to get back alive with the payroll, they'll have to run a gauntlet of Cannons.
In the spring months of 1862, the war had raged for a year now and it had not been going well for the North at all, except for victories in Tennessee by Gen Ulysses S Grant at Forts Henry and Donelson and a costly victory at Shiloh, but now something else was needed.

Gen Alexander: "Where's the troops payroll?"

LtCol Horace: "Sir, with all due respect, we haven't been able to get the pay from the train station in Clarksburg onto wagons and over here."

Capt Stillman: "Sir, what if we wait until the next engagement to pay the troops."

Gen Alexander: "They've already had late pay three times in a row, I'll send a contingent of Cavalry to the Train Depot in Clarksburg and escort the wagon with the troops pay."

LtCol Horace: "Not a bad idea sir."

 _Meanwhile_

Sgt Chesterfield was looking for Cpl Blutch again after the charge, he checked the infirmary but he wasn't there, he soon found him feeding Polka a carrot.

Sgt Chesterfield: "BLUTCH!"

Cpl Blutch (Under his breath): "Oh boy..."

Sgt Chesterfield: "I've had it with you and you showing your cowardice, and now I find you here feeding Polka?!"

Cpl Blutch: "Sarge, Polka went lame and how could I be in a charge with a lame horse."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Cause you learned how to corrupt them, that's how." Just then, one of the General's orderly's came running towards them.

Orderly: "Sergeant Chesterfield, Corporal Blutch?"

Sgt and Cpl: "What?"

Orderly: "General Alexander want's to see the both of you right away."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Okay, we'll be right there."

Cpl Blutch: "I wonder what the General wants?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Probably to give you a court martial for cowardice, insubordination, and disobeying orders."

Cpl Blutch: "Or maybe it's to court martial you for being a sadist."

The Sergeant scowled angrily as the Corporal chuckled.

They walked up the steps of the fancy building which was the General's headquarters, he was talking to his staff when the two Non Commissioned Officer's entered.

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch reporting as ordered sir."

Gen Alexander: "Ah, gentlemen, please enter, have a seat."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Thank you sir." Both of them sat down as the General took the cigar out of his mouth to speak more clearly.

Gen Alexander: "Gentlemen, we have a bit of a problem, the payroll for the entire Division is waiting at a railroad depot in Clarksburg, and with morale not being at it's best, we need to get the pay here and soon. So, I want you two and three others to escort the wagon of money back here at the soonest possible moment, is that understood gentlemen?"

The Sergeant stood up at attention while Blutch seemed to copy him, but only a little lazier and sloppier, which was always normal.

Sgt Chesterfield: "Clear as glass sir, I'll get the three other men right away." The Sergeant and Corporal gave the General a salute and the both of them walked out back to their tent. They got the other three men and headed for the depot in Clarksburg, but they were being watched by some of men from Morton's Artillery Battalion, of the Confederate Artillery of the Confederate Army of the Mississippi under Braxton Bragg.

Reb Artillery Spotter #1: "Hey, we should warn Maj Morton."

Reb Artillery Spotter #2: "Yeah, let's go." The two Rebs got on their horses and rode away.

Cpl Blutch: "You know Sarge, why don't we ease up a bit, I'm enjoying this ride in the countryside."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Why of course, and while we're at it, let's have a tea party, NO! We have a job to do you lazy goldbrick."

Cpl Blutch: "I'm asking to take it easy, not to put on dresses and pretend to be the Queen of England." They continued on, with a grumbling Blutch bringing up the rear, after that, he didn't want to be near the Sergeant for a while after that outburst.

 _Meanwhile_

The two spotters rode to their artillery position and went directly to the Major to tell them about the five Yankees.

Reb Artillery Spotter: "Major, we saw five yankee's head down the road, they must be escorting something."

Major Morton: "Well, it must be something important, tell Lt Brannen to set up three guns on the ridge where you saw them, and when they come back, open fire and take what's in the wagon."

The spotter saluted and exited the tent to get Lt Brannen.

 _Later_

The five troopers had reached the depot in Clarksburg and got the wagon, Trooper Tyree tied his horse behind the wagon and took the reins they loaded the payroll boxes into the wagon and soon left the depot.

Trooper Tyree: "HEY SARGE?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "What is it Tyree?"

Trooper Tyree: "What happens if we run into trouble?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Well, we've got to protect the payroll, so if anything, we'll make a run for it."

Cpl Blutch: "HEY SARGE!" The Corporal pointed to a ridge, where he saw an Artillery Limber, it was strange, but it made the Sergeant suspicious, there was either one gun, or and entire artillery battery up there.

Sgt Chesterfield: "DETAIL HALT!"

Apparently, the Rebs had positioned three 12 Pounder Brook guns on a ridge, the Union Troopers hadn't been spotted so a plan had to be made to deceive the Confederates.

Trooper Yorke: "How about we run the horses through and we all ride the wagon."

Sgt Chesterfield: "No, they'll target the wagon and destroy it, and us."

Cpl Blutch: "How about we put the money in our saddle bags, let the wagon continue on, if they target that, we can ride on safely back to camp."

Sgt Chesterfield: "That... That actually isn't a bad idea, okay, we'll go with that."

They took the money out of the strong boxes and put them in their saddlebags and was prepared to ride straight through. Sgt Chesterfield hit the rear end on the horses pulling the wagon and they went galloping, with the troopers galloping as well, and the gunners on the ridge saw them and yelled.

Lt Brannen: "OPEN FIRE!" The cannons roared to life, they aimed at the wagon and fired exploding shell, the five cavalrymen rode on past unscathed, but the wagon didn't fare as well as them, it was thrown on it's side by the exploding shell and the horses pulling it ran off. But the five troopers of the 22nd Cavalry managed to get past with some burned out gunpowder and dust on their uniforms.

Cpl Blutch: "Well Sarge, did my plan work."

Sgt Chesterfield: "I've got to say, you've got a thick skull but probably to protect that brain of yours, you'll make Sergeant yet."

Cpl Blutch (Chuckling): "Now why would I want to be like you mister three stripes."

Sgt Chesterfield (Pulling out his pistol): "I'M WARNING YOU CORPORAL!" Blutch just laughed.


End file.
